A solid copper bonding conductor not smaller than 8 AWG must be run from the pool bonding grid system to the double insulated pool pump motor location for connection to any replacement motor that is not a double insulated type.

• A. 6 AWG
• B. 10 AWG
• C. 8 AWG
• D. 12 AWG

Answer: (C)

Equipotential bonding is used to keep all metallic parts around the pool, including the motor housing, at the same electrical potential. This reduces the risk of electric shock by providing a low-impedance path back to the pool’s bonding grid if a fault occurs. When a replacement motor that is not double insulated is installed, a solid copper bonding conductor must connect the pool’s bonding grid to the motor location so any exposed conductors in the motor housing are bonded to the same potential as the pool. The conductor size must be at least 8 AWG copper to provide a sufficiently low impedance path for fault currents. Smaller sizes such as 10 AWG or 12 AWG would be undersized for this purpose, while a larger conductor like 6 AWG would also meet the requirement but the spec calls for the minimum of 8 AWG. Double-insulated motors do not require bonding to the pool grid; non-double-insulated motors do.